Hot-water heater



May 18., 1926.

.F. W. BIRTCH HOT WATER HEATER Filed Oct. 19, 1922 at w. 3526/; 5 M1 75 LUGHZ I Ira Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,585,366 PATENT OFFICE.

FRED WILBUR BIRTCH, OFLA FORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BAS'IIAN-MORLEY 00.,

OF LA PORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA. l

nor-WATER HEATER.

Applicaflon filed October 19, 1922. Serial No. 595,620.

The invention relates to water heaters employing an inner tank and combustion chamber and an outer shell and insulation surrounding them. The invention relates particularly to a construction, whereby the casing surrounding the water tank and the combustion chamber is rigidly and securely fastened to the outer shell, and whereby the water tank and the combustion chamber are insulated to prevent heat from passing through the outer shell and becoming lost.

The invention has as one of its objects the provision of a construction whereby, the water tank and combustion chamber casing or shell, insulation, outer shell, and a con- .densation pan may all be securely held with relation to each other and with relation to a. ring stand. The legs, which support the entire structure, are secured in the ring stand.

It is an object of the invention'to provide a construction which will permit of the ready association of the elements entering into the construction when setting up the water heater for use and also the ready disassociation thereof when this becomes necessary to efl'ect repairs or to remove the water heater.

It is another object of the invention tosulation to be readily removed or changed should its removal or replacement at any time be found necessary.

It is further object of the invention to provide an arrangement in which the upper end of the heater will also be insulated against the escape or dissipation of the heat and to provide this end of the structure with a cap, which furnishes a closure and provides a finished appearance to this portion of the water heater. The cap is constructed to allow pipe connections which lead to and from the interior of the water tank and to and from the combustion chamber of the heater to be passed through the cap.

.(the insulation not being shown).

It is a further object of the invention to provide a construction at the opening in the outer and inner shells, whereby access may be had to the burner and the pre-heater contained in the combustion chamber, and which will encase and protect the insulation at the opening.

Theinvention will be further explainedand more readily understood when consid ered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, it being obvious that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the appended claims" forming a part hereof.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a hot water heater constructed according to the invention. i

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows (the insulation not being shown).

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of a' portion of the structure illustrated in Figure 2 Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction,

20f the arrows."

In the particular embodiment of the in vention illustrated in the drawings, 10 is the inner casing or shell forming the water tank. The upper end of the tank is closed by the head 11, which is provided with apertures to receive the cold water inlet pipe 12 and the hot water outlet or discharge pipe 13.

This head 11 is also provided with a tubular extension 14 which receives the upper end of a flue 15,.which extends'downwardly and communicates with the interior of the combustion chamber 16. The lower end of the shell 10 forming the water tank extends beyond the lower; end ofthe water compartment and forms the combustion chamber, in which a pre-heater and a burner are confined. The partition 17 is secured to the inner casing shell 10 and forms the bottom of-the water tank. The'partition is arranged a suit-able distance from the lower extremity of the shell forming the tank and also forms the upper wall of the combustion chamber 16. The partition or tank bottom 17 is provided with a screw threaded aperture 18 into which is threaded the tubular nipple or pipe 19 of the water pre-heater 20,

arranged in the combustion chamber, through which the water may pass from the interior of the tank into the pre-heater. The water pre-heater 20 has a tubular pipe 21 extending therefrom into the interior of the water tank. The pipe 21 terminates adjacent the upper end of the tank and p1'ovides a 'means through which the heated water may flow and be discharged into the tank. 4 v

A burner 22 is also arranged in these-om"- bustion chamber 16 in juxtaposition to the pre-heater 20. The burner is connected to a mixer 22 and the gas supply pipe 22". To complete the chamber 16 a ring stand 23 is employed. This ring stand is constructed so that it will readily ermit the supporting legs 24 to be remova ly connected thereto and is also provided with an upwardly extending annular flange 25. The diameter of this flange 25 of the ring stand is of a slight- 1y greater diameter than the diameter of the outer, relatively thin, metallic, protecting shell 26, so that it will readily receive the end of the shell and assist in supporting the shell and the tank 10. The inner shell 10 is held in spaced relation to the outer shell with the insulating material 27 arranged between them. The insulating material 27 may be of any suitable character, but asbestos is preferably used; The preferred form of asbestos insulation is constructed of separate corrugated sheets, arranged parallel to each other, the corrugations providing air passages which assist in preventing the heat from being dissipated. This heat insulating material entirely surrounds the water tank 10, except for an opening herein: after mentioned, and extends from the ring stand 23 to the head 11, arranged at the upper extremity of the water tank.

It will be noted that the outer shell 26 extends a suitable distance beyond the head 11 and thus provides a space between the end of this shell and the head, and the space thus provided by this extended portion is filled with insulatin material of a plastic nature, which is caused to entirely cover the head 11 and thus hold the heat from passing out the top of the heater.

A cap or cover 28 is employed to close this end of the outer shell 26 and enclose the insulation which covers the head 11, and thereby providm a protective closure for the insulating material arranged atthe top of the structure and also that arranged between the water tank shell 10 and the outer shell 26. The cap 28, which cooperates with the extended portion of the outer shell to form a closure at the top of the heater, is provided with apertures which permit the inlet and outlet pipes 12 and 13, respectively, and

i the flue 14 to extend therethrough.

The outer shell 26 and thefinner, shell 10 are supported by the ring stand 23 and the,

masses plurality of legs 24. The ring stand, with its upwardly extending, annular flange 25, extending around the base of the outer shell, is provided with the inwardly extending, annular flange portion 29, and also lugs 30, 31, and 32 which are integral with the in wardly projecting flange portion 29 and which are provided to assist in holding the .shells 10 and 26 in proper relation to the ring. These in extend upwardly from the flange 29 of t e ring 23 and are in. spaced relation to the annular flange 25 and are also spaced apart from each other at intervals on the ring 23. The lugs 30, 31, and 32 are arranged upon the flange 29 intermediate the annular flange 25 and the inner periphery of the flange 29. They are positioned in this manner so as to provide material against which to rest the condensation pan 33 and the end of the inner shell 10.

The condensation pan 33 forms the lower wall of the combustion chamber 16 and is provided with an upwardly extending,-annular flange 34. lVhen the end of the shell 26, the shell 10 of the water tank, and pan 33, with its flange 34, are arranged in associated relation to the ring stand 23, with its flange 25 and its lugs 30, 31, and 32, these elements will assume the relative position clearly illustrated in Figure 4. From an inspection of this figure it will be seen that the construction allows the lower end of the outer, protecting shell 26 to be inserted within the upwardly extending, circumferential flange 25 and this outer casing 26 is in spaced relation to the shell of the water tank 10, which provides a space within which theinsulating material 27 is arranged. It will also be seen that the lower end of the inner shell 10 is inserted within the upwardly extendin circumferential flange 34 of the condeni sation pan and that the pan is inserted within the upwardly extending lugs that the lower end of the outer, protecting shell 26, the insulation 27, and the end of the shell 10 rest upon the inwardly projecting, annular flange 29 of the ring stand 23, and, furthermore, that the condensation pan 33 is also so ported by this portion of the ring stand. olts and nuts 35 are employed to securely hold the several elements entering into this portion of the structure in associated relation 'with each other. The ends ofthe water shell 10 andouter protecting shell 26, the insulation 27, and the upwardly extending flanges 25 and 34 and upwardly extending lugs 30, 31, and 32 are each apertured to receive the bolts 35. The ends of the inner and outer shells, the insulation, the condensation pan, and the ring stand, with its flange and plurality of lugs, are thus secured together by the plurality of bolts and nuts, and form a structure of such associated and cooperative relationship that great strength and rigidity is obtained.

provided with a plurality of separated lugs 36, which are inclined to each other to provide V-shaped openings, whereby the'supporting legs 24 for the hot water heater may be removably associated therewith.

It is manifest that,'should it be found necessary or desirable to dismantle and re-. move the hot water heater, or replace any of its parts, the bolts and nuts 35 may be removed and the heater may then readily be taken apart.

The condensation pan 33 is apertured,

as indicated at 37, to permit the burner 22 to be connected withthe mixer 22 and the gas supply pipe 22". The condensation pan is also apertured to allow a drain pipe 38 to be connected with the water tank. A drain cock 39 is connected-to the drain pipe. The aperture 37 in the condensation pan, through which the connection to the burner is formed, also permits air to be introduced into the chamber. The outer. shell 26, insulation 27, and shell 10, forming the side walls of the combustion chamber 16, are provided with adoor 40 to permit of access to the burner 22 arranged within the chamber. The door'40 is formed with an aperture 41 to permit additional air to be introduced into the combustion chamber 16.

The door 40 is provided with trimming which comprises the right angled flanges 42 and 43. The flange 42 extends around the door opening on the exterior of theouter shell 26 and'the flange 43 extends inwardly and provides an-enclosure and protection for the insulation whichv surrounds the door opening within the innerand outer shells. The flanged door trimming is held with relation to the outer shell 26 and the inner shell 10 by bolts and nuts 44 which are outer annular flange and a plurality of upwardly extending lugs concentricall arranged with relation to said upward y extending outer annular flange, said upwardly extending lugs'being' spaced inwardly from said outer flan e/a heater'cover for heater insulation, the ower end of which is against the inner surface of said outer ange,

.insulating material between the inner surface of said heater covering and outer surface of said plurality of lugs, a main wall of said heater, the lower end of which is secured to the said plurality of lugs, said outer The lower face of the ring stand 23 isflange, heater covering, insulating material, lugs and main heater wall being apertured, and a bolt extending through each of said apertures and secured with a nut upon the inner surface of said main heater wall whereby said heater wall is spaced apart from said heater insulating wall by said lugs and held rigidly and firmly in place, and whereby theend of said main heater wall, the end of said'outer heater insulation wall, and the ends of the interposed insulation are capped.

2. In a water heater of the-character described the combination of a supporting ring member, having an annular base portion and provided with an upwardly extending outer annular flange and a plurality of upwardly extending lugs concentrically and triangularly arranged with relation to said upwardly extending outer annular flange, said up wardly extending lugs being spaced inwardly from said outer flange, a heater cover for heater insulation, the lower end of which is placed against the inner surface of said outer flange, insulating material between the inner surface of said heater covering and outer surface of said plurahty of lugs, a

main wall of said heater, the lower end of which is secured to the said plurality of lugs, said outer flange, heater covering, insulating material, lugs and main heater wall being apertured, and a bolt extending through each of said apertures and secured I with a'nut upon the inner surface of said main heater wall, said ring supporting member being provided with a flange extending inwardly and horizontally from said lugs and at right angles thereto, an apertured drip pan resting on said last-mentioned flange, which drip pan is provided with a flange, which is interposed between said upwardl extending lugs and said end of said main eater wall, the flange of the drip pan also being apertured to receive said bolt, whereby said main heater wall and said flanged drip pan are spaced apart from said heater insulation wall and said outer flange by said inner lugs, holding said parts in separated but rigid relation, and whereby the end of said main heater wall, the end of said outer heater insulation wall, and the ends of the interposed insulation are capped. 3. In a water heater of the character described the combination of a supporting ring member, having an annular base portion and provided with an upwardly extending outer annular flange and three upwardly extending lugs concentrically arranged with relation to said upwardly extending outer annular flange, said upwardly extending lugs being spaced inwardly from said outer flange, a heater cover for heater insulation,

terial, lugs and main heater wall being apertured; and a bolt extending through each of said apertures and secured with-a nut upon the inner surface of said main heater wall,

said ring supporting member being provided with a flange extending inwardly and horizontally from said lugs-and at right angles thereto, an apertured drip pan resting on said last-mentioned flange. which drip pan is provided with a flange which is interposed between said upwardly" extending lugs and said .end of said main heater wall, the flange of the drip pan also being apertured to re-- ceive said bolt, wherebv said end of the main heater wall and said flange of said drip pan are spaced apart from the outer insulation wall and the first-mentioned flange of said annular supporting ring by said three lugs to hold the same in separated but rigid relationship, and whereby the end of said main heater wall, the end of said outer heater insulation wall and the ends of the interposed insulation are capped, said three lugs being formed upon said annular ring member in a, triangular relation, and three sets of foot support flanges, each set being formed in the bottom of said annular supporting ring and an integral part thereof directly below each .of said upwardly extending lugs, each set formed of downwardly extending converging members adapted to, receive detachable Q supporting legs for said water heater.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4 day of October A. D., 1922.

FRED WILBUR BIRTCH. 

